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Monday, August 1, 2016

The celebration of nature continues on Medieval Monday and today I'm welcoming my friend Ashley York with her latest Conquest novel THE SEVENTH SON. This one is set in Ireland, and Ashley's description paints a vivid picture of what life must have been like.

EXCERPT: The
day Tisa arrived at her new home it was dark and stormy. They’d been keeping
ahead of the impending rain the whole day. From the rise overlooking the sea,
dark, angry clouds hugged the coastline, making it impossible to see the ocean.
The sound of crashing waves pounding along the rocky shore made her stop. Her
mount shifted beneath her as if wary as well. Darragh come up alongside and
pointed out the little cluster of roundhouses nestled into the valley below.

“That is yer new home,” he said.

Several small buildings surrounded a larger
longhouse in the center. It appeared quite peaceful despite the many barren
trees no longer protecting it from the sea breezes.

“It looks peaceful.”

He snorted beside
her. “Dunna be fooled. There is nothing about my father, including his clan,
that is peaceful but ye’ve witnessed that yerself.”

His father had been relentless in keeping track of
their whereabouts. He’d continued to impose on them, making lewd suggestions
when they separated from the group at night. Tisa would almost believe she had
become dulled by his comments. Almost.

“Darragh!” Aodh barked at his son. “See to the
ships.”

Her husband sighed. “Father, I will see my bride
settled before leaving her alone.”

Aodh laughed. A cruel laugh. The belittling laugh
he often used with his son. “Afraid to leave her unprotected?”

Darragh turned to face the man that had come up
behind him. “Aye, I will have her well protected before I venture off to see to
yer ships.”

Aodh smiled at her. “But I’ve been so patient.”

“Then be patient about yer ships!”

Darragh took the reins of Tisa’s horse and led
them both down the graceful hillside ahead of the others.

Tisa dared not breathe at this blatant show of
disobedience. Once out of earshot, she whispered to her husband.

“Darragh, he is still not following.”

“I’ve shocked him into immobility.”

Blurb:Drogheda, Ireland 1075

The sixth son bears a curse as
certain as the seventh son bears a blessing. When Tadhg MacNaughton’s betrothed
is ripped from his arms and married to another, he believes the legend is true.

Tisa O'Brien's life slams into a
downward spiral at the news she is no longer betrothed to the love of her life
but to the tanist of a warring, prideful clan with dangerous political
aspirations, the Meic Lochlainn. She faces her destiny with all the strength and
dignity of her Irish heritage despite dealing with a husband who resents her
and meets his needs in the arms of others, fighting off the lustful advances of
her father-in-law, Aodh, and longing for the husband of her heart.

Tadhg MacNaughton makes a deal
with the devil to ensure the survival of his clan as he is commanded to fight for
Aodh who envisions himself the new High King of Eire. Up close and personal,
Tadhg must witness his true love's marriage and remain silent even as it rips
him apart.

When a sinister plot to overthrow King William of England led by the
exiled Leofrid Godwin and Clan Meic Lochlainn comes to light, Tadhg is faced
with saving his clan or endangering his sister and her Norman husband.

An Irish beauty and a warrior
betrayed, doomed in love from the start or does fate have something else in
store for them?